Milan has been gearing up to play host to Expo 2015 for years, and all that hard work is about to pay off. The city has more than 7,000 events planned during the Expo, which runs from May 1 through October 31, both on the Expo grounds and elsewhere in the city. And this is, of course, in addition to the countless things to do and see in Milan that have nothing whatsoever to do with the Expo.

You could count me in the moment I saw the photo of the bright red train chugging along through Switzerland. On the Swiss Alps Bernina Express Rail Tour from Milan, the train ride is only part of the package – it’s so much more than a rail tour. Before stepping on the train, you first venture up north by bus, through the Lake District to the northern Italian town of Tirano, nestled amongst the Alps. From there, it’s all aboard the Bernina Express, a UNESCO world heritage route that travels through the Alps to the town of St. Moritz. Two countries and a handful of different towns all in one day? Right up my alley!

Milan is famous for its shopping opportunities. Many of Italy’s best-known designers have their flagship stores in Milan, if not their headquarters, and the pedestrian-only Quadrilatero d’Oro makes for excellent window shopping even if you can’t afford the goods inside. But you can’t visit Milan, even if you’re not planning to do much shopping, without going to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – one of the world’s oldest shopping malls.

One of the main things on nearly every must-see list for visitors to Milan is Leonardo da Vinci’s famous fresco, “The Last Supper.” What many don’t realize before they get to Milan, however, is that the painting can be tough to see if you’re not planning ahead. It’s only possible to see the fragile fresco for 15 minutes before your timed entry is up and you’re ushered out, so tickets are booked up well in advance. With a 15-minute time limit, however, it’s still completely worth it to see “The Last Supper.”

Milan’s Duomo sits at the center of the city, and no visit to Italy’s fashion capital is complete without seeing the enormous white cathedral with its countless rooftop spires. But after a tour through the interior, the real treat is to go up on the Duomo roof and take in the view.

The busy city of Milan may not be on everyone’s must-see list, but if you’re flying in or out of Milan’s Malpensa Airport, give yourself enough time for a day trip so you’ll be able to go visit the lovely Lake Maggiore. Especially if your itinerary has been all about cities, museums, galleries, and churches, getting to spend even a day soaking in the natural beauty of one of Italy’s most famous lakes is a real treat.

“The Last Supper,” called “Il Cenacolo” in Italian (pronounced che-NAH-ko-lo), rests on one wall of a former dining hall attached to the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. The nature of da Vinci’s work on the fresco – he was experimenting with a new method at the time – meant that it degraded much more quickly than other frescoes painted at the same time. As a result, the environment of the room is now strictly monitored to keep the masterpiece from being damaged even more rapidly.

Although Milan is often skipped by visitors in Italy, it can be a particularly good city to include on a winter itinerary. Unlike some destinations where major sights are outdoors and therefore rely on good weather to make them palatable, most of Milan’s sights are indoors. Not only that, the city’s proximity to the mountains makes it a good launch point for a skiing trip. Here are some of the things to do in Milan in winter.